The forever smiling Sadia Afrin, managing director of Checkmate Events, values happiness over anything in life.
What motivates you to do what you have been doing for so long? Basically, we started Checkmate back when my other half and I were students. That constant restlessness to do something different and keeping ourselves engaged in interesting things drove us to start this. Initially it has not been our aim or the prime career goal. We explored the corporate world out there as well. It has been tough to find the right balance between our jobs and passion but at the end of the day, it’s the happiness and trust of our clients that drove us to work harder. Soon we realised, serving our clients with ultimate satisfaction, making someone’s special day even more special have turned into our addiction that we could hardly let go. Since then we focused on Checkmate Events as our only aim and career goal. We look forward to exploring more horizons through this venture.
Who is your biggest inspiration in life? Bibi Russell is my biggest inspiration in life. I was lucky enough to know her personally through my father’s acquaintances. I like everything about her. Her lifestyle, aura, personality and the fact that she is stubborn about her desires have always motivated me.
How difficult or easy has it been being a woman? I try not to let it bother me. I choose to deal with my problems in the industry as any other person would, regardless of their gender. If something goes wrong, it probably has nothing to do with me being a woman.
What does beauty mean to you? What makes you feel beautiful? Beauty lies in happiness. A happy person always looks beautiful. A content heart and a genuine smile on my face make me feel beautiful.
According to you, what is the prime strength of a woman? Women are quick thinkers. They always think years ahead than men.
How did you dream growing up would be like when you were a kid? Has it been any different? I have always dreamt of celebrating life. I wasn’t sure what I would do but I have always wanted to have a fun-filled job and do things that would make me happy and allow me to be as cheerful as I am. I must say I am living how I imagined myself to live.
Any tips for women with big dreams? It is very important to control your negative emotions in order to pursue your dreams. Achieving what you want is never very easy for anybody, not even for somebody born with a silver spoon in their mouth. It is important to stick to your goals and never look back. To get something big, one must learn to give up on a few small things in life.
This article was originally published on blog.zappyup.com on March 6, 2016. Link: blog.zappyup.com/interview/nsmdm/